Salt Lake, UT Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to Cvent's meeting and event planning guide to Salt Lake. Having hosted ASAE's annual meeting, the Winter Olympic Games, MPI's World Education Congress, Parliament of the World's Religions, Rotary International, and the Association for Computing Machinery, Salt Lake is no stranger to accommodating large events. The Salt Palace Convention Center is the city's primary meeting venue. With over 987,000 square feet of space, it's among the West's largest and most technologically advanced centers. Conveniently located in the heart of the vibrant downtown, the Salt Palace is within walking distance of 7,300 hotel rooms, as well as 200 bars and restaurants.

Adjacent to the Salt Palace is the $2 billion City Creek Center, an incredible upscale retail center that features over 100 restaurants and stores such as Nordstrom, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Tiffany & Co., Microsoft, Michael Kors, and Porsche Design. Within two blocks of the Salt Palace are admission-free art and cultural museums, historic pioneer homes, the world's largest genealogical library, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Connecting the downtown convention district is an efficient, fare-free light rail system.

Salt Lake is served by all major U.S. airlines, and it is Delta's Western hub. Over 700 flights arrive and depart each day, providing nonstop service to over 100 cities. Partly because of its mild year-round climate, Salt Lake International is consistently the nation's No. 1 on-time airport, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The airport is just 8 miles, about 10 minutes, from the convention district and is connected by a light rail line. For those arriving by car, Interstates 15 (running north/south) and 80 (running east/west) intersect in Salt Lake.

The city is situated in a flat valley at 4,200 feet, while the majestic Wasatch Mountains rise abruptly from the city's edge to a dramatic 11,000 feet. This stunning geological feature offers jaw-dropping views in every direction and provides endless year-round outdoor recreation opportunities. With low humidity and over 300 days of sunshine, downtown Salt Lake successfully hosts meetings and conventions throughout the year.

Salt Lake is situated in a valley at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The generally mild, desert like climate provides over 300 days of sunshine and less than 17 inches of precipitation every year. The city enjoys four distinct seasons. July is the warmest month, with an average high temperature of 91 degrees F. In January, the coldest month, high temperatures average 37 degrees F. The lack of humidity throughout the year helps summers feel cooler and winters feel warmer. While Salt Lake receives lots of sun and relatively little precipitation, the nearby mountains have their own climate. The highest elevation resorts — Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude — receive an average of 40 feet of snowfall in the winter months. It's common to ski in the morning and golf in the Salt Lake Valley in the afternoon.

Meeting Planning in Salt Lake, UT

Salt Palace Convention Center an SMG Managed Facility

Located in central downtown, the Salt Palace Convention Center is a work of stunning architecture, with supporting trusses designed by Kent Seko, a world-renowned roller-coaster designer. Among many other beautiful architectural elements, the building also includes a 570-foot-long glass wall viewing area that overlooks the exhibit space.

The Salt Palace was designed with an eye toward practicality as well, with over half a million square feet of contiguous exhibit space and 164,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 45,000-square-foot ballroom and 68 well-appointed meeting rooms. The Salt Palace's preferred audiovisual provider offers video production, lighting services, and sound reinforcement, among other services. Fiber-optic cables run through the building's core in order to ensure high-speed internet access at any point in the building. In fact, the center was one of the first in the country to make wireless networking available to its meeting guests. The on-site business center provides copy, print, fax, and package services, while in-house caterer Utah Food Service offers customized menus tailored to any specifications. Other amenities include a 1,000-space, three-level parking garage with elevator access to the center's main concourse.

Salt Lake, UT Airport Information

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

Salt Lake City International Airport, the nation's No. 1 on-time airport, offers over 700 flights by all major U.S. airlines, including Delta Air Lines, which flies to over 100 cities every day. International nonstop service is offered to Canada, Mexico, Paris, and London. The airport is only 8 miles, about 10 minutes, from the downtown convention district.

Travelers can choose from numerous dining options, including local favorites such as Squatters Pub, High West Distillery, and Market Street Grill. The airport also offers an award-winning area of retail stores and a full-service business center.

Airline carriers serving Salt Lake City International Airport

Aeromexico

Alaska Airlines

American

Delta

Frontier

JetBlue

KLM

SkyWest

Southwest

United

Salt Lake, UT Train Information

Salt Lake City Station

Amtrak services the downtown Salt Lake City Station with its Zephyr train, which offers scenic travel between Salt Lake, Denver, Chicago, Reno, and San Francisco.

Salt Lake, UT Ground Transportation

Utah Transit Authority (UTA) TRAX and Bus Lines

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) provides excellent public transportation services to Salt Lake, including the airport and surrounding ski resorts. Vehicle options include buses and TRAX light rail. The free-fare zone covers the downtown convention district. Direct service from the airport to downtown Salt Lake costs $2.50 each way, and trains depart every 15 minutes.

Car Rentals

Car-rental facilities are widely available in Salt Lake. On-site car-rental companies at the airport include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National.

Taxis

Salt Lake has three main taxi companies with 24-hour service: City Cab, Yellow Cab, and Ute Cab. The airport's taxi booths are located outside baggage claim at Door 7 in Terminal 1 and Door 11 in Terminal 2. The ride from the airport to downtown takes 10 minutes and costs around $24. Uber and Lyft are available throughout Salt Lake.